Abstract

MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION: AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR AUTHENTIFICATION OF CRUDE DRUGS

Maitri T. Patel*, Krupa Purohit and Mariyan R. Patel

Abstract

Crude drugs are natural forms like plant, animal and their parts which after collection are subjected only to drying or making them into transverse or longitudinal pieces or peeling. The use of natural drugs has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide. They are also in great demand in the developed world for all health care problems because of their efficacy, safety and lesser side effects. Although there are various constraints we are facing for herbs like adulteration. In that concern evaluation of crude drugs becomes an essential tool for authentification of the plants. Which includes determination of biochemical variation in the drugs, identification of deterioration due treatment and storage and to report substitution and adulteration, as result of carelessness, ignorance and fraud. The evaluation of a drug is done by studying its various properties like organoleptic, microscopic, physical, chemical and biological evaluation. In this regards microscopic evaluation is of interest as it is the most reliable and convenient technique to check the quality of the drug. With this review some essential parameters of plants has been described to confirmation of standard varieties of herbs.

Keywords: Crude drug, Adulteration, Evaluation, stomata, trichomes, starch grains, Xylem vessel.